Traction-wheel for motor-cars or locomotives



(No Model.)

A. L. MO OAULEY. TRACTION WHEEL FOR MOTOR ems 0R LOCOMOTIVES.

No. 647,152. Patented Oct. 1,1895.

AN DREW acflAmMt PHOTO-UTHOWASHINGTON D IIv iINiTEo STATES PATENT@rriont ALPHONSUS L. MCOAULEY, OF EXETER, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRACTION-WHEEL FOR MOTOR-CARS OR'LOCOMOTIVES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 547,152, dated October1, 1895.

Application filed March 22, 1395. Serial No. 542,830. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that LALPHONSUS L. MOCAU- LEY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Exeter, in the county of Luzerne and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTraction-Wheels for Motor-Oars or Locomotives, of which the following isa specification.

The object and purpose of this invention is to produce a traction-wheelfor motor-cars, and particularly for electric cars and locomotives,which shall prevent the slipping of the wheels when the tracks are wetor coated with snow or ice or when for any other reason they would tendto slip upon the rails.

The invention consists in a wheel having a tread and flange adapted torun on railway or tramway rails, and having a series of perforations inits tread adjacent to the flange, through which a series of movablesteel rods may be projected to engage the head of the rail. The movablesteel rods are connected with and radiate from a sliding head or collarupon the axle and are controlled by the movement of said head.

The invention further consists in the details of construction of thewheel and the tractionrods above mentioned and in the mechanism foroperating the rods on a series of wheels simultaneously, all of whichwill be hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification,and in which like reference signs refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views, Figure 1 is a plan view showing two pairs of wheelsprovided with traction devices according to my invention. Fig; 2 is alongitudinal central section of a car, showing the manner of operatingthe traction devices from the platform. Fig. 3 is a rear View of awheel, taken on the line a: no of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4; is a section takenon the line y y of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the traction-wheels of anelectric or other motor, and 2 the axles, upon which the wheels aremounted in the usual manner. These wheels are provided with the usualtread 3 and inner flange 4, which adapts them to run on rails 5 ofordinary construction. At the inner edge of the tread adjacent to theflange are a series of perforations 6, which are substantially radial,but inclined slightly to the rear. These perforations are alsopreferably tapered, being larger at their inner ends. A series of steelrods 7 extend from the outer ends of the perforations through the sameand have their inner ends pivotally connected in some suitable mannerwith a sliding collar or head 8. As shown, the inner ends of the rodshave knobs or enlargements 9, (see Fig. 4,) which are confined in anannular groove '10 in the head 8. A band or ring 11 prevents the headsof the rods from being withdrawn from the groove, and said rods aretherefore united to the head with what may be called a togglejoint,enabling them to be thrust out with great power through the perforationsin the wheels when the head is moved toward the hub of the wheel and tobe readily withdrawn when the head is moved in the opposite direction.

I preferably provide each of the tractionwheels of a motor-car orlocomotive withtraction devices consisting of rods adapted to beprojected through perforations in the wheels, as above described, andprovide mechanism for simultaneously operating traction devices of allof the wheels. As shown, the collars 8 are free to slide, within limits,lengthwise upon the axles, and they are caused to turn with the axles bymeans of splines or feathers 12. In the periphery of each head is agroove 13, in which there is a collar 14, which is rigidly connected toa rod 15. The rod 15 is arranged parallel with and above the axle, andit is free to slide longitudinally in suitable guides 16, attached tothe frame of the car or car-truck. The rods 15 are connected by links 17with an operating-rod 18, which ontends to one or both ends of the car.As shown in Fig. 2, the rod 18 is operated by hand-lover 19; but, ifdesired, it may be operated by a foot-lever convenient to the motormanor in any other suitable manner. Each pair of links 17 forms atoggle-lever, which operates to thrust out and draw in the traction-pinsof opposite wheels simultaneously.

The traction pins or rods 7 are preferably made of steel and hardened attheir outer ends. The pins are of such size as to fit rather closely inthe perforation 6, and there is comparatively little strain put uponthem for the reason that they are required to project a very ICO slightdistance beyond the tread of the wheel. 13y arranging the perforationsclose to the flange the brakes may be applied to the tread in the usualmanner. In fact, in cases of emergency the brake and traction-pins mayboth be applied, in which case the pins prevent the wheels from skiddingor slipping upon the rails and aid in stopping the motor quickly inaddition to preventing the wheels from being flatted.

My invention may be embodied in forms differing somewhat in mechanicaldetails from that shown in the drawings. Thus the inner ends of thetraction-pins '7 may be hinged or pivoted in other ways to the head, andother mechanism may be devised for simultaneously moving the slidingcollars or heads of the wheels.

Therefore, withontlimiting myself to the precise construction andarrangement ofparts shown and described, I claim- 1. The combinationwith a car or locomotive wheel having a tread and flange, and a seriesof radial perforations at or near the junction of the tread and flange,of a collar arranged to slidelongitudinallyupon and turn with the axle,and a series of radially arranged traction rods having their outer endsin the perforations of the wheel and their inner ends jointed to saidcollar, whereby said traction rods may be projected or withdrawn by thelongitudinal sliding movement of the collar upon the axle, substantiallyas described.

2. The combination with a series of car or locomotive wheels, eachhaving a tread and flange and radial perforations adjacent to theflange, of collars arranged to slide on the axles adjacent to thewheels, radial traction rods jointed to the collars, a rod extendinglengthwise of the car, a lever for operating said rod, and connectionsfrom said rod to the sliding collars, whereby all of the traction rodsmay be projected and withdrawn simultaneously by the motor man,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALIHONSUS L. MUCAULEY.

Witnesses:

P. A. OBovnn, W. H. l\lCCAULEY.

